Art

Discussion 1

 The Dutch Golden Age was a period where Europe and the world experienced economic, political, and cultural expansion. First, the economic transformation led to a new social structure that was characterized by a high standard of living (Spielvogel, 2012).  People gained cultural achievement and a sense of purpose. Note that as a result of economic and cultural propriety, middle and merchant class had the power to enter into in the market to do painting as a way of depicting the Dutch life and identity. It is important to note that artwork had shifted from religious subjects to secular subjects. Artists focused on realism art or in other words, they avoided artistic convention and they focused on subjects that reflected the everyday life such as an individual's position within the community, the worldly and spiritual gap and the need to maintain a proper balance, the life of Dutch citizens, and more (Spielvogel, 2012).  It is also important to note that artists were interested in the structure of the burgher society and they focused on portraying the secular everyday life.  For example, the painting of Rembrandt van Rijn is a good example of a painting that depicts materialism and secularism.  For example, the burgher society was characterized by material objective wealth, social class differences, and other features. In his painting, Rembrandt painted secular pictures, mythological themes, and scenes (Spielvogel, 2012). Another artwork is by Johannes Vermeer.  In his painting, he depicts Dutch society by portraying luxury of merchantmen. It is also important to note patrons increased the market for art in that foreigners were visiting the Netherlands and they were pleased by the Dutch picture, For example, cobblers, blacksmiths, and bakers could collect images of extraordinary quality and this was a way to support the art.

 

Discussion 2

 I like Rousseau's enlightenment debate.  He focuses on the religion of the citizen which is also known as the civil religion, and the religion of the man.  The civil religion gives services to a single country by communicating love, obedience, and martial virtues. The religion of man is a true religion since it is concerned with heavenly things (Cheah, 2012). He is against philosophy as he believes that philosophical thinkers have self-interest and they deprive human beings their freedom and destroy their authenticity. In his argument, Rousseau connects to the Aggrandizement art, or self- aggrandizement which depicts that science and philosophy have contributed into inequality and ignores virtue. Philosophy destroys the virtues such as esteem and benevolence and hence every person focus on fulfilling personal interests.

 

 

 

 

 

References

Spielvogel, J. J. (2012). Western civilization. Australia: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

Cheah, P. (2012). Spectral Nationality: Passages of Freedom from Kant to Postcolonia

Literatures of Liberation.